Farming Talk: Pig producers in challenge to improve profits

Pig producers, rightly, spend a lot of time looking at breeding herd performance but grower and finisher herds have a lot of potential for better profitability too.

BPEX has set a challenge for finisher pig producers to see how far they can improve production by October this year.

The 2TS Finisher Challenge is all about looking at current performance records and set targets for improvements – often just requiring a bit of fine-tuning. Producers in the challenge can either actively implement strategies to try and improve performance or do nothing and hope for the best. All it takes to enter the challenge is to provide a set of data from any time between January 2012 and now, then another set of data on September 31, 2012.

Producers are trying a whole range of things, from changing feeders to changes in management. Health management changes would be discussed with the vet and nutritional changes would be discussed with the nutritionist. The challenge does not expect producers to build new finisher accommodation or invest in expensive technologies, as it aims to ensure the existing systems are producing to optimal capacity.

The idea is to see how big an effect that little extra effort can make to the bottom line. This may help to generate the extra capital to make bigger investments in future.

The project is encouraging producers to record and/or understand their current records and use them as management tools. It also aims to demonstrate that, with an improved focus and often minor management changes, a big difference in production can be made.

As the local knowledge transfer manager, I am offering support to producers, starting off with a visit to walk the farm and look through current performance records. If no, or only some, recording is being carried out, I can work out some simple ways to collect additional data. We also discuss which areas producers interested in improving and I may identify some as well.

For contract finishers too, who may wonder if there's anything it for them, improving productivity can mean increased numbers of pigs going through the system, better growth rates or improved carcase specification which, in some instances, can result in bonuses. Plus greater job satisfaction!

Angela Cliff is BPEX knowledge transfer manager for central England